I picked up MMBS 2nd edition from the library early this spring and loved it. I have been MTBing for 25 years and have had period of good downhill flow but they were not consistently repeatable. After reading your book I understood why…because I had no idea what I was doing. When I got into those flow states it was completely by accident and I was never able to reproduce them with intention. However, you lay out some key concepts that are great mental handles on what our bodies should be doing on the descents and I am in your debt for that. I bought the Mastering Mountain Bike Skills 3rd Edition and have influenced a few friends to do the same. Thank you for systematizing this!

Question, I am running Maxxis Icon 2.35s (EXO, TR, and all the fancy stuff) front and back on a 29er XC bike and they do a pretty good job all things considered. I do live in Jeffco and ride all the front range trails and Buff Creek and Breck a lot. Can you recommend the most comparable tire in durability, weight, XC rolling speed but with some big side knobs so I can really lay my machine over with confidence in every situation?

Hi Lee,
I hope you are well and I am not pestering you with this question. Last year I crashed in Downieville on my SC Nomad 3 and broke myself and the frame. SC replaced the frame but with the new Nomad and although it is a great bike it is much more difficult to climb with it. I am considering replacing the bike with either the GG Trail Pistol (setup +) or Stumpjumper 6Fattie, bikes I know you are familiar with. My good friend just bought a Trail Pistol off one of your instructors and loves it.

“As a highly refined and extremely versatile trail bike, the Megatrail is built for everything from conquering high-alpine adventures to shredding bike park laps, or just slaying your after-work rides. And when it’s time to turn the Rad up to 11, Gravity Mode™ provides a 20-second, one-bolt geometry toggle that transforms the bike into a downhill dominator—it’s like having two bikes!”

I rode a small Megatrail for one long, awesome day at Valmont Bike Park and the Betasso Link Trail. About six hours of ride time. Thoughts:

Guerrilla Gravity says: “This is a bike that turns your local trail into your very own pump track. The Shred Dogg provides an exceptionally lively platform for those that value playfulness more than smashing the super-gnar. Plus with Gravity Mode™ available, you still have the downhill chops for when going gets rough…er.

More great copy from the little bike company in Denver, CO.

It’s also another great bike from Guerrilla Gravity. I just spent two weeks on a Shred Dogg, and here are some thoughts.

Hi Lee, how’s everything going? Busy with release of book and Riprow at the same time I guess.

I have a question about Enduro 29 coil

I just rode the “old” Enduro 29 Comp and for the lack of a better expression “it blew my fucking mind”. Me and my friend rode a lift accessed, proper downhill trail a few times and on the 4th or 5th run after I got quite familiar with the track we swapped bikes. Now he was local, he knew every corner. So for first few runs I had a hard time staying just behind him. We are same size very similar weight so we didn’t turn the dials much. Not only i did not need to get used to his bike, I felt more confident right away, I left him behind like hell. I wasn’t doing almost any brake checks, just open gas all the way, braking hard in tighter corners or switchbacks. And hey, Switchback and wagon wheels? No problem, that thing was equally swift as my “smaller bike”. Not only that, I was fresh, I felt like I could do the whole 5-6 minute track without stopping.

Now The only thing Enduro was worse at, compared to my somewhat boutique 27,5 super bike, was suspension. Enduro was not as forgiving for big hits. Landings were a bit wobbly. Later on I had to rent another 650B bike to chcek if my setup isn’t crap. It wasn’t.

So finally to the point… is latest Enduro with Öhlins coil, as fresh to pop around yet buldozer when asked as the old one? And is suspension noticeably better?